Island Town Optometrist Offers Innovative Services

Dr. Charles Turner opened Island Eye Care on Daniel Island seven years ago. Originally from Indiana, Dr. Turner was ready to establish his business not only in a place that offered a warmer climate, but also in a town that offered a convenient location. Daniel Island offered both, and so much more.

“I wanted to open my business in a place where I could ride my bike to work – Daniel Island was the perfect fit,” says Dr. Turner. “I love having my office here. I wanted a site that was not only convenient, but that was centrally located and offered plenty of parking. Daniel Island offers all of that and more.”

Dr. Turner’s business has grown exponentially since 2005. Not only does he carry the largest inventory of contact lenses in South Carolina, but he is also the only optometrist in the nation that offers a special recycling program for contact lenses.

“I thought it would be really great to create a program where patients would get excited about recycling their contacts,” says Dr. Turner. “With more and more people switching to daily lens wear, you start to think about all the packaging and plastic that it generates.”

With over 1,000 of his patients wearing contact lenses, that’s a lot of excess waste. Dr. Turner decided to formerly introduce the One Million Lens Challenge. This is a contest where each contact lens patient receives a recycling container. In return, they receive incentives each time they come in for an appointment.

“The patient is to place the recycling container next to their sink or waste basket in their bathroom. That way, each day when they open a new pair of contact lenses they can dispose of the plastic cases properly in the bag. Our goal is to recycle one million lenses and we are on our way!” says Dr. Turner.

Dr. Turner offers a range of prizes for patients that bring in their recycled contacts. This is certainly innovative thinking for a small town optometry business located on Daniel Island.

“I’m always trying to stay on the cutting edge of the eye wear business,” says Dr. Turner. “This includes staying on top of the latest products for innovative care.”

Dr. Turner enjoys promoting his business by being involved in the community and volunteering at the Daniel Island School. He is also the official eye doctor for the Charleston Battery soccer team.

“I really enjoy being active in the community. I particularly like being the guest science teacher for the 8th graders at the Daniel Island School, where I have them dissect an eyeball. They just love it!” says Dr. Turner.

Island Eye Care currently has three full-time employees, including Dr. Turner’s father, and is getting ready to expand.

“I’m really excited about the growth my business has experienced and look forward to being on Daniel Island for many more years to come,” says Dr. Turner.

Island Eye Care is located in the heart of downtown Daniel Island at 250 Seven Farms Drive. Committed to improving the vision of the entire family, Dr. Turner’s unique training has prepared him to perform eye exams tailored for newborns, children and adults with eye health problems. Island Eye Care is a Charleston practice that specializes in providing the highest level of customer service — focusing on fulfilling each patient’s needs and providing the best optical experience in the Lowcountry.  For more information, visit www.dieyecare.com

Designer Jodi Moylan Dishes on Daniel Island, Dresses & Charleston Fashion Week!

Last year alone, Jodi Moylan attended more than 25 weddings…

But that’s part of what sets this Daniel Island resident, bridal designer and boutique owner apart from her competition. She becomes friends with her clients, so much so that more often than not she’s invited to watch as her dresses sway down the aisle at her clients’ weddings.

Jodi and her husband Tom moved to Daniel Island almost ten years ago, not long after development of the island first began. As Daniel Island continued to grow, so did Jodi’s love of its island lifestyle. She and Tom moved out of their apartment on River Landing Drive and purchased a home in the Pierce Park neighborhood. Then, three years ago, Jodi opened her high-end bridal boutique White on Seven Farms Drive, proving that Daniel Island is really a place where you can live, work and play!

We recently sat down with Jodi to ask her some questions about life on Daniel Island, her amazing bridal lines, White Couture and Yoyo, and being involved in Charleston Fashion Week (taking place this week in downtown Charleston). See what she has to say!

What is your favorite thing about living on Daniel Island?

Jodi: We stayed on Daniel Island because we liked how it kept growing and growing. New people were constantly moving to the island and new businesses were opening all the time. I love that we can walk and bike almost everywhere, including to my store. And our neighbors became our closest friends. We are really social and love that we can just walk next door and relax with friends. Our social life is here.

Tell us about White and your bridal designs.

Jodi: I’m a workaholic. I start at 8:00 am and go until 10:00 pm. That’s another great thing about living so close to the store! I’m there constantly, unless I need to leave to run errands during the day, and  then I’m there most nights, too. I love my designs — I love being creative and crafty! I’ll add handmade bows and flowers, buttons, feathers and ruffles as creative details to my dresses. I love being “girly.” And I just started a new bridesmaid line called Yoyo. I create the designs and all of the sewing is done by my seamstress, who lives right across the street from the store on Daniel Island. Her work is incredible!

How many years have you been involved in Charleston Fashion Week and what keeps you going back?

Jodi: I’ve been doing Charleston Fashion Week for three years. My bridal line has gotten such great exposure from Fashion Week and it’s really great to see all of the local talent in Charleston. This year Carol-Hannah Whitfield from Project Runaway is introducing her bridal line, so it will be great to be in the “Bridal Couture Show” with her. The staff at Charleston Magazine, which organizes the event each year, are so professional and organized –  they really do a great job!

What sets you and White apart from other bridal designers and boutiques?

Jodi: Some people would say the Martini and Champagne bar I built in the store! But I really think that my low-pressure and laid back personality really puts a bride at ease. I’m not a car salesman, pushing them to buy any dress. I’m there to help them find the perfect dress. And I love my job!

For more information about Charleston Fashion Week and the Bridal Couture Show on Saturday, March 20, click HERE.

Monkee's Co-Owner Says "I Do" at the Daniel Island Club

When Ashley Jenkins, co-owner of high-end boutique Monkee’s on Daniel Island, started looking at locations for her November 2009 wedding, she hadn’t planned on taking a tour of the Daniel Island Club. Originally from North Carolina, Ashley was planning to marry her fiancé Stephen in her hometown. But as planning got underway, she realized the difficulties she would face by organizing a wedding so far from where she lived.

“I didn’t want to have to plan a weekend trip and make all of my decisions in one day,” she said. It wasn’t until a friend mentioned the Daniel Island Club that she decided to schedule an appointment. “I actually hadn’t seen it before, even though I work on Daniel Island. But I knew the minute I drove up for the first time that I had found the right spot,” recalled Ashley. “And then I met the staff and I realized that not only could I plan my wedding from literally one-mile away from where I work on Seven Farms Drive, but that they would also be a huge resource for me.”

Ashley and Stephen were married on the outside lawn at the Daniel Island Club on Saturday, November 21, 2009. It was a perfect Lowcountry fall day – sunny but with a slight chill in the air. As Ashley and Stephen were saying their vows, the sun shined brightly on the couple.

“Everything was perfect. From the weather to the food to the flowers and our photographers, Joey + Jessica,” said Ashley. “It may sound cheesy but it felt like it was all in God’s hands. It all happened exactly as it was meant to.”

Expressions Art Welcomes Renowned Artist Susan Mayfield

Charleston native and well-known artist Susan Mayfield will be visiting Daniel Island this upcoming weekend to provide a two-day “Drawing in Color” workshop at Expressions Art in the Publix Shopping Center. Susan is an award winning artist known for her use of color and light in her pastel landscapes. She now divides her time between the Lowcountry and Colorado with her husband, finding inspiration in the natural beauty of both environments.

The two-day “Drawing in Color” workshop will be an introductory class using various drawing media including charcoal and soft pastel. Geared towards beginners, this class is for both those who want a refresher course and students interested in exploring pastels for the first time.

The workshop will take place Friday and Saturday, January 22-23, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm both days. On Friday, students will learn about shading, tone and creating three-dimensional still life images, first with charcoal, and then with pastel. On Saturday, students will be working on the basics of landscape, in charcoal and pastel.

Only a few spots remain available for this weekend’s workshop, but Susan will be coming back to South Carolina this spring and fall to teach more classes and workshops.

To register for the workshop, which costs $195 and includes all supplies, call Dena at Expressions Art at (843) 884-1310, or stop by the store at 162 Seven Farms Drive (next to the Publix).

For more information about Susan, visit her blog www.susanmayfield.blogspot.com.

Island Resident Serves Up the Perfect Pie

Not long ago, Daniel Island resident David Orlando was happily living – and cooking – in Italy, when his brother called him with an offer that ultimately brought him back to the states. “He had seen an ad for a business that was for sale on Daniel Island, and he thought it would be a great opportunity to add something that the Daniel Island community was lacking – great pizza,” David explains. “He wanted me to come open it with him.”

Although leaving Italy was difficult, David seized the opportunity, packed his bags and moved to Charleston. Seven years later, Orlando’s Brick Oven Pizza is now one of the most popular dining spots on the island.

That’s not to say that it’s been easy. “It took me two years to perfect the crust, says David, who is originally from New Jersey. “I learned to make pizza in Italy, but there are so many factors that are involved in coming up with a recipe that works – the oven, the climate, the ingredients that are available to you – it takes a while to bring it all together and create the right formula.”

And then there are the usual challenges of owning and operating your own business: Long hours, staff turnover, changing food costs and more are just some of the components that David has learned to manage. But he’s managed the challenges well. His loyal customers are a snapshot of Daniel Island itself – young families looking for a kid-friendly place to dine, professionals who work on the island and want an affordable spot for lunch, students at nearby Bishop England High School. Basically, if you live or work on Daniel Island, chances are you eat at Orlando’s on a regular basis.

The Orlando’s menu is a classic selection of traditional pizzas, salads, signature pastas and two sandwiches – a meatball sub, and the latest addition to the menu, an authentic Philadelphia Cheese Steak. No matter what you order, you can’t go wrong – everything is delicious.

As for David, he’s found a way to balance his long hours as a business owner by moving to Daniel Island to reduce his commute time. “Two years ago I took advantage of a great deal on a condo on the island,” he says. “Now I can come and go throughout the day, and I don’t worry so much when I take a day off. If something goes wrong, I’m literally three minutes away.”

You can visit Orlando’s at 295 Seven Farms Drive in downtown Daniel Island, or call for take-out at (843) 884-6292.